Aubrey and Grayson

How We Met

Grayson and I first started talking the old fashioned way. He sent me a message on Instagram.

Well, let me take a few steps back. I’ve actually known about Grayson’s existence (literally only that he existed and nothing else. No name. Nothing.) since I was probably 17 and I started going to Heritage Church of Van Buren, AR with my parents. Grayson played the drums during Sunday morning worship and I honestly couldn’t tell if he was my age or 30 years old. I’m telling you, this guy’s facial hair can give most grown men a run for their money. When I went off to college the following fall I stopped going to Heritage, and honestly forgot about his existence.

Fast forward to age 21. At this point I’ve sworn off serious relationships, and I’m doing a lot of pet sitting for my married friends. It was late November. I remember getting off work and while I was walking to my car I got a message from a local photographer that I had befriended. She had recently taken pictures of my family and was reaching out to see if I would want to model as a bride for an editorial shoot during a photography retreat. (“Duh!”) She goes on and asks if I know of any rustic-y bearded men who would be willing to be photographed / cuddle with me. I told her I didn’t, but if she knew of any to let me know. Interestingly enough .092 seconds later I get a notification on my phone (How 21st century is this?) ‘Grayson Stewart has requested to follow you.’ I start scrolling through his profile and it registers “The drummer from church!”

Long story short, Grayson and I end up getting roped into this photo shoot.

{ Months later I find out this was all meticulously planned. Grayson saw my family pictures on Facebook and thought I was pretty cute, reached out to the mutual friend and so on went the perfectly timed message + Insta follow }

Grayson sent me a sweet message introducing himself. We made some small talk, and then he gave me a little line that probably was the biggest influence in molding our relationship. (notice: it involves food.)

“I figured I should take you out to eat at least once before we get hitched.”

I still die to this day. Can you say smooth?

We had a date set up for the following week and I honestly was beside myself. I was at the point in my life where I didn’t get excited for dates. But with Grayson I was in that shameless mode where I was sending creeper pictures from his Facebook to my mom and saying things like “LOOK AT HIS SMILE” and “ISN’T GRAYSON THE MOST PERFECT NAME??” (Honestly, I still do this)

+ First Sight (Kinda)

It was about four days after we started texting, I was going to a Christmas play that was being put on by Heritage Church. I remember getting ready to leave and meet my family to eat Mexican food before the show, when Grayson texted me asking what I was up to. As soon as I told him my night’s plans he began to tell me how he had really wanted to go to the show too! He just didn’t have anyone to go with! (hahaha…yeaah OKAY) My naive self casually invited him to tag along with my family at the show absolutely expecting a polite decline because hello who would go meet a girl for the first time at a church play with her FAMILY.

Grayson Lee, that’s who.

I truly didn’t actually believe he would actually show up when he said he was going to try and make it. Little did I know that behind the scenes he was scrambling, jumping in the shower and trying to get his hands on a ticket (this show was almost sold out) and high tailing it over to the King Opera House. I remember turning around and seeing him walking down the aisle to me and I literally couldn’t believe it. As soon as he sat down and we started talking I just knew he would be in my life forever.

I remember walking to my car after the play with my sister and saying, “Did you know we’re getting married?”

When you know, you know.

Picture in front of the fireplace was on Christmas of 2016! He asked me to be his girlfriend on New Years Day- and THAT is a whole different sweet story! He recorded a cover of my favorite Lumineers song (Dead Sea) and while we were driving home from a NYE party he asked if he could play me a cover that he found on Youtube and thought I would like. So I’m listening, telling him its so good and asking who it is when suddenly the lyrics change and I realize my name is in the song and that it’s him singing! After it ended he asked me to be “official” with him, and I’ve been on Cloud 9 ever since!

Black & White picture is from a promo shoot Grayson was doing for a guitar company that he was associated with! A friend of ours was shooting it so I tagged along (with dirty hair and no makeup on- mind you) and he pulled me up on his lap in the middle of the session! I was dead set on hiding my face, but his smile in this shot makes me melt.

how they asked

Fast forward a year and a month after that sweet New Years Day. I made an appointment with Johnna Johnson to do some personal shots for my blog and she asked if I would be interested in having Grayson tag along to do some sweet couple photos! I literally never pass up a chance for pictures with the babe so I was definitely on board! (Turns out Grayson and Johnna had their own plan cooking up after she and I made our appointment!) So on February 15th, we ran around the top of a windy hill that is one foot too short to be a mountain and then skipped through a gorgeous field. Things were going swell, and Johnna was having us do the most darling poses!

She said “Okay, for this next one I want you guys to turn back to back and take five steps away from each other. Then when I say go, I want you to turn around and run to each other!” Being the rule follower I am, I took exactly five steps away, fluffed my hair a little bit, and turned around- ready to crash into Grayson. Instead, I turned around and he was down on one knee, smiling with a ring in his hand. I was so surprised that I was just standing there, frozen with a hand over my mouth. Grayson literally had to wave me over to him. He told me he would love me forever and asked if that sounded alright to me. I cried. A lot.